The figure shows an energy pyramid for an ecosystem. What happens to the amount of energy in the pyramid as it moves up through the different levels? A) It increases by a factor of about 10%. B) It decreases by a factor of about 90%. C) It increases by a factor of about 90%. D) It decreases by a factor of about 10%.

It decreases by a factor of about 90%. I just did it

Explanation:

Only about 10% of the energy makes it from one level of an energy pyramid to the next. 90% of the energy is used for metabolism, etc.

The correct answer is - D) It decreases by a factor of about 10%.

In the energy pyramid for an ecosystem, the energy levels are consistent throughout the food chain, thus the pyramid shape of it. The organisms that are at the bottom of the pyramid are the ones that gain 100% energy, and those are the producers. As they are consumed, they give energy to another organism, bu that organism gets a bit less, by approximately 10%. The 10% decline in the energy transfer as we go up the hierarchy of the food chain continues, so the organisms that are at the top of the food chain actually gain much less energy than the ones on the bottom of the pyramid. That results in those organisms that are at the top of the pyramid to have to consume much larger amounts of food in order to survive, while the ones closer to the bottom need to consume much less.